Having retired from Kiss, Ace was finally able to follow his dreams and open his puppet theatre...
Oh hells the fuck yeah!
Ace returns on his own. Except this time he is packing a guitar case full of in your face rock'n roll. Maybe even a couple of guitar cases. And a drum case. Though really, those cases should be used for their intended design or it might void the warranty. He should just spend the dough and get some custom heavy duty road cases to carry all this rock'n roll...
The album opens with a blistering attack, with
Shot Full of Rock. I'm telling you, Ace, that's not enough to contain all this rock. Then we get some sort of cover or something. I don't know and I don't care. All I care is that the song is awesome. And then it's
Five Card Stud. Because he's Ace - get it? It is one of his greatest tracks, giving you a hard hitting account of how he will destroy you at gambling. Probably drinking and drugs, too. Not only is he a "five card stud", but he's also a six string legend. Such a legend that he then pulls out a new Paul Stanley song a couple of months before Kiss can even release their version!
Now Ace is
Lost in Limbo. I'm lost in a sea of awesome rocking songs. I had read on some shows of his last tour that he actually opened with this song - I really wish he had performed it when I saw him live this year. But then again, that concert was so loud I could barely make anything out. Apart from that gorgeous girl dancing and singing along to
Talk to Me like she was my soul mate or something. Next up is the title track, where Ace and Peter Criss declare they are
Trouble Walkin'. For some reason, I used to think they were saying they HAD trouble walking. That would make for a totally different song...
Holy balls, I am enjoying this right now!
Shit gets heavy with
2 Young 2 Die. This has Richie Scarlet on lead vocals - the only song on the album that doesn't feature Ace on lead vocals. This was also the only song from this album they did at the concert. Pretty fitting track, especially with Ace and Peter singing the chorus. Peter has 9 lives. And hasn't made an album in years. He needs to go
Back to School. HAHAHA oh that was a brilliant segue! I am incredible!
Things chill a little with a possibly live track,
Remember Me. I say "possibly live" because I don't trust anyone in Kiss when it comes to crowd noise in a song. For all I know, it could have been recorded at a rehearsal in my bedroom and that's just me cheering in the background. Oh please let that be the case! On second thoughts, I don't remember it so please DON'T let that be the case...
Fractured III sends us out in typical 'fractured' style and I cry because not only is it one of the best of the series, but gawdam this album is awesome and now it is ending.
Highlights:
Almost every fucking song. EVERY FUCKING SONG
Lowlights:
A reminder that I will never see Ace Frehley live again and we are not actually friends in real life, even though we totally should be...
Verdict = 5 Smoking Les Paul Guitars and a hearty thumbs up
